


Acorns

by gardnerhill



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Angst, Childhood Trauma, Community: watsons_woes, Double Drabble, Feels, Gen, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 04:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7560370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardnerhill/pseuds/gardnerhill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Both became magnificent oaks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acorns

**Author's Note:**

> For the 2016 July Watson's Woes Promptfest prompt #22, **Shine Yer Shoes Guvnor?** Take a child’s-eye view of Holmes and/or Watson or their world, in any version. It can be the POV of an Irregular, the child of a wealthy client, Olivia Flaversham, or Young Sherlock Holmes for that matter.

He huddled in the kennel hugging his knees to his chin, trying hard not to shake. Dash braced him with his great hairy body, hiding him from sight.

He’d seen Papa, the wicked thing Papa had done, and Mama was, was –

He pressed his mouth to his knees to stifle the cry.

Papa hadn’t seen him. But _he_ hadn’t seen in time. He’d been slow and stupid, and he only knew what Papa would do to Mama when it was too late.

He would never, ever, be slow or stupid again. He’d find wickedness before it happened, and stop it.

###

He buried his head deeper into the book, turning another page, trying hard to lose himself in the heroic sea battle before him. But Da’s shouting – his loudness meant he was drunk – and Ma’s tearful pleading came through the cellar door and the flight of stairs.

A crash. A shout of pain from Da. Another cry of distress from Ma.

He’d get far, far away from them when he was grown. He’d be a soldier and see the whole world. And he’d keep other people from hurting, since he couldn’t stop Da from hurting everyone. Soldiers needed doctors, didn’t they?


End file.
